“Wildwood” is directed by Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings, Masters of the Universe) and stars Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman, Maestro), Peyton Elizabeth Lee (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals, Andi Mack), Jacob Tremblay (Room, Wonder), Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Withnail and I), Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies, The Hunger Games), Tom Waits (Father Mother Sister Brother, Licorice Pizza), Charlie Day (The LEGO Movie, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Blythe Danner (Meet the Parents, Will & Grace), Arthur Knight, Angela Bassett (Akeelah and the Bee, Black Panther), and Mahershala Ali (Moonlight, Green Book). This film is based on a fantasy novel by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis. Upon watching her baby brother Mac get taken away by a murder of crows, a young girl named Prue goes on a quest through the forbidden forest to save him.

Life is full of surprises. As someone who has watched a lot of movies, I often get the feeling that it is difficult to be caught off guard anymore. Though the 2020s have shown me how much I continue to be marveled by the power of animation. My favorite film of 2020 was “Over the Moon,” which going into it, I thought was just going to be another throwaway Netflix film. Turns out it reminded me a lot of what I went through as a teenager and for that reason, it left me in tears by the end. 2021 saw the release of “Belle,” which I watched more times than I can count on two hands. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” pushed the boundaries of the medium in 2023 and seamlessly blended together six different animation styles. Plus I must not forget other films that left an impact on me like “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” and “The Wild Robot.”

These are all amazing films in their own right, and much like many other animated titles, these are fantastic choices for all ages. This brings me to a point I must make clear in this review. “Wildwood” is not for kids. It is PG-13 for a reason. Animated projects for adults are not a new thing, but I know in the United States, they’re not always the ones getting the most attention. I am not saying all kids should be kept away from “Wildwood,” but given this film’s intense moments and sequences, nudity, and language, this is a film that clearly keeps an adult audience in mind first. It is not like there’s a sex party or anything of that sort. This is not “Sausage Party,” nor is it something for “everyone” like I often claim Pixar movies to be. This is something in between.

That said, if you are of the right age or mindset and are able to watch “Wildwood,” do it now. Like, literally right now. In fact, if you make it to the end of this review and you still have not watched “Wildwood,” you may be doing yourself a disservice. This is one of the best animated films I have ever seen. This is a medium-defining movie, and I contend it could be the greatest project in the history of stop motion. I say this as someone who may not have a ton of experience with stop motion, but appreciates the works that goes into those movies and has some fond memories of watching them over the years, including those by Laika. I grew up with “Coraline” to an extent. I remember going to watch it in the theater and renting it from Blockbuster Video. Over the years, I got around to watching films like “Paranorman,” “The Boxtrolls,” “Kubo and the Two Strings,” and “Missing Link,” all of which were really good.

“Kubo” just so happens to be directed by Travis Knight, who went on to helm this very movie. When I saw “Kubo” in 2016, I thought it was Laika’s best movie. Having seen “Wildwood” a decade later, I think “Kubo” has been dethroned. It is not just because of how much this latest movie captivated me as a story, which it most certainly did, but because it is one of the most technically impressive feats in the history of filmmaking. What “The Odyssey” did this year for live-action, I would contend “Wildwood” does for animation. In fact, both are fantasy stories based on preexisting material. They are simple narratives, but they are brought to life in such a way that hits the goldilocks zone. In fact, I would not be surprised to find out that one’s complaint about “Wildwood” is that despite how good the film looks, the story and characters feel overly familiar. To me, that was not an issue, because I was engaged with what was in front of me. The characters are all beautifully fleshed out and go through admirable arcs. Meanwhile, the film continuously puts us in shoes of its protagonist, Prue, who is constantly trying to figure out what the deal is with the forbidden forest and its many ins and outs.

Although going back to the film feeling familiar, it did remind me a lot of some other projects I enjoyed. I have not read any of the “Wildwood” books. I cannot compare them to this movie. But I found myself reliving the joys I felt watching other films over the years. There is an incredibly immersive flying scene that felt very much like something out of “How to Train Your Dragon.” There are battle sequences that seemed to be inspired by “Lord of the Rings.” Even a film that I was admittedly not the biggest fan of, “The Goonies,” came to mind. Not only does this film, like that one, boast a sense of adventure, but both movies made me want to go to Oregon. When the film is not taking place in the forbidden forest, it is in Portland, Oregon. The sets representing Portland looked stunning as can be. I kid you not, hours after this movie ended, I looked up flights to Portland in hopes of being able to go next year.

There is not a single character that I could look at in “Wildwood” and say I dislike. I do think there is one slightly questionable voice casting choice. But even as I say that, I think they did an okay job in the movie. For the record, that one cast member is Awkwafina as Septima, a friendly rat. I have nothing against Awkwafina as a performer, but her many roles in recent years, both as a physical character as well as someone’s voice, have given me a sense that she lacks range. Every other movie, she seems to rely on the same schtick and quirks that she implemented in some of her previous roles. Awkwafina seems to bring that schtick to the table once again, but not to as obnoxious of a degree as she has in some prior roles. She also has some decent, funny material to supplement her performance. There are some good moments between her and Prue.

Speaking of Prue, she is voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, and this is my first introduction to this young actress. I say young like she is a kid, she is actually 22. But after hearing her in this film, I hope I have the opportunity to see Lee get more work. There is a constant conviction in her voice that is as palatable as it is believable. Granted, with this being a stop motion animation, one could argue that the puppet is the star of the show as opposed to the person voicing it. And I was often impressed with how convincingly this puppet and others were brought to life. Prue has dynamite chemistry with just about everyone with whom she crosses paths.

There is a supporting character named Curtis (Tremblay) who we often see alongside Prue. The two do not always seem to mesh together, but seeing their imperfections play out allows for some entertaining sequences and fantastic character development on both ends. I bought into the bond between Prue and her parents. I particularly found her father (Jake Johnson) to be a solid voice of reason, even if he does have a helicopter parent vibe. I was constantly rooting for Prue to find her baby brother, not just because it is the right thing for her to do, but because she always gave off a sense of ambition. She sounded like she was going to stop at nothing to make sure Mac gets home safe.

The film also has a fabulous antagonist, Alexandra. While the movie does show her doing questionable things, Alexandra is not exactly vicious. What makes Alexandra compelling is that she seems to want something along the same lines of what Prue wants. Prue is willing to do anything to get her brother back, and we come to realize that there is someone in Alexandra’s life that she would give everything up to see return as well. The film sets up a situation that not only puts Alexandra in Prue’s way, but said roadblock is what gets Alexandra closer to getting to see that special someone one more time. Carey Mulligan also does a terrific job voicing the character. Much like the rest of the cast, Mulligan has some great material to work with.

The word “epic” is one that can often be used as a hyperbole. But “epic” is exactly what I would use to describe “Wildwood.” The sets and effects are mind-blowing. Dario Marianelli’s score is satisfyingly booming. The battle sequences look like something out of “Braveheart.” Each one feels like pure eye candy and quite heavy in terms of the stakes. Even when the movie slows down, the story feels like it is just getting started. Overall, this is a story that starts out small and by the end feels larger than life. I know that sounds every other movie ever made, but “Wildwood” is a project that understands how to perfect that philosophy. This film is 2 hours and 12 minutes. That makes “Wildwood” the longest stop motion animated film ever made. It earns every single minute. This film is never boring. It hits a sweet spot when it comes to pacing. The quick moments are exciting, but the film knows when to let the audience breathe. I am not going to pretend that everything in “Wildwood” is original. Though it is undoubtedly imaginative and presents all of its material in a spectacular, awe-inspiring package. It is kind of like the original “Star Wars.” If you think about the movie hard enough, you can come up with some idea as to what inspired it, but the film nevertheless brings something fresh to the table and offers a ton of replay value. As I said in previous posts, cliches are fine as long as they are done well. They could not have been done better in “Wildwood” if anyone tried, as is the case with all the extraordinary things included in this movie.

In the end, “Wildwood” is not just one of the best films of the year, there is a serious argument to be made that it could go down as one of my favorite films ever. This is a movie that I want to take friends to in the future. It is one that I want to show my dad. It is one that I can see myself rewatching in the comfort of my bedroom. I remember watching the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movies as a teen and being inspired to make films of my own one day. If “Wildwood” came out during that time in my life, it would have been just as formative of an experience as those movies. I am not sure what the legacy of “Wildwood” is going to be, but I am hopeful that it is going to inspire future artists and filmmakers. This is a movie that pushes the boundaries of animation and reminds me of the joys of being a film fan. Go see this movie. You’ll laugh. You’ll immerse yourself in such a wonderful world. You might even cry. I am going to give “Wildwood” a 10/10.

Laika is a studio that I am shocked yet happy is still around today. If it were not for Travis Knight being born into a family associated with Nike, this film probably would have never happened. As far as nepo-babies go, Knight is probably one of the coolest. In fact, this is not Knight’s only film he directed to have come out this year, as he also directed “Masters of the Universe,” which came out in June. This double-header may not have the same prestige as Steven Spielberg’s double-header in 1993 with “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List,” but this is still quite the hot streak. Knight has not made a bad movie. I did not think it was possible for him to outdo “Kubo and the Two Strings,” but he did. If he sometime in the future outdoes “Wildwood,” I am going to need surgery, because chances are my jaw is going to break the earth from dropping so monumentally low.

And in case I did not make myself clear, please go see “Wildwood.” Take your friends. Take your loved ones. Maybe take your children if they seem like they can handle it. Please go. You will thank me later.

“Wildwood” is now playing in theaters. Tickets are available now.

Thanks for reading this review! If you enjoyed this written review, check out one of my video-based reviews! Right now, I am working on a limited series called Movie Requests, and last week I just published the 13th episode, which features “Adam Ruins Everything” star Adam Conover! He requested I should talk about “To Live and Die in L.A.”, which was a first time watch for me. Did I enjoy it? Click the video above the find out! Also, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel that way you can check out more episodes of Movie Requests as soon as they drop!

My next review is going to be for “Clayface!” Stay tuned! Also coming soon, I will be sharing my thoughts on “You Can See Everything,” “Wild Horse Nine,” and “La Bola Negra.” If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Wildwood?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite film of the year so far? Right now, “Wildwood” has made my job here so much harder. When I get cracking on that best movies of the year list, picking my number one is going to be tough. Let me know your favorite film of 2026 down below. Chances are I haven’t seen it, so maybe that can add to the challenge. Scene Before is your click to the flicks!